We added the following new talks to our Speakers Bureau Catalog in 2025 & 2026 and will continue to update the catalog. Click on the photos or the links for more information about each talk.
“We The People” are invited to learn the history of printing the American Revolution! Join letterpress printer John Vincent in conversation around an old printing press, pull a broadside, and imagine what the Next Revolution could be.
The U.S. has been at war, in one form or another, for all but about 18 of the past 250 years of the county’s existence. What does this mean if this is a constant in our lives? How do we invite the conservatives and progressives into the room to talk together?
In 1969, the Supreme Court affirmed the rights of students to express their political opinions during school. The Tinker decision declared that students and teachers do not “shed their constitutional rights” at the “schoolhouse gate.” In 2024, the First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a Massachusetts school could ban a t-shirt that expressed a political opinion on gender identity. Constitutional scholar Meg Mott considers whether students still have the right to free speech.
Join Will Eberle as he helps individuals and communities identify the lingo and phraseology that so often “triggers” people of differing viewpoints and prevents real communication and understanding.
Consuelo Northrop Bailey (1899-1976) was a national pioneer among women in public service. Born and raised in Fairfield, Vermont, a 1921 graduate of the University of Vermont, Bailey was one of the first women in America to serve as a state’s attorney, as speaker of a state house of representatives, and as lieutenant-governor. Historian Kevin Graffagnino details the life and career of this extraordinary Vermont role model for women in politics and the law.
Have you ever wondered where electricity comes from, how the internet works, or how there’s (mostly) enough water for everyone all the time? Where did these systems come from, and how do they affect our challenges like inequality and climate change? Join Vermont author and artist Dan Nott for a look at these questions and more as he discusses his new nonfiction graphic novel, “Hidden Systems” for this all-ages talk.
Central Vermont endured catastrophic flooding in 2023 and 2024. Now, the horizon looks different. An America with less disaster response support seems likely, while the planet continues to warm and the rain falls hard and fast. This presentation by Shawna Trader from Barre Up! will explore several examples of community building projects which, in turn, are proving to be pathways towards resilience.
What does it take to turn a creative spark into something sustainable—and maybe even life-changing? In this engaging and practical talk, collage artist and creative entrepreneur Michael Sjostedt shares how his creative side hustles evolved over the years, helping him navigate economic downturns and career transitions while building community through art.
Land speculator, revolutionary, pamphleteer, politician, and empire-builder, Ira Allen was a key figure on the late eighteenth-century Green Mountain frontier. Based on his 2024 book, “Ira Allen: A Biography,” J. Kevin Graffagnino’s lively talk evaluates Allen’s checkered career and makes the case for including him in our picture of Vermont’s formative decades.
This project will bring together Vermonters from across the state to discuss the founding principles and future of the Vermont National Guard, its relationship to the U.S. Constitution, and criteria for deployment to combat around the world. Veterans, service members, and their family members are particularly encouraged to participate in this discussion.
In this lively, hands-on presentation, participants will be introduced to the fundamentals of cartooning as both an art form and a communication tool. Drawing on the past, present, and future of the medium, the session expands how we think about comics—not just as entertainment, but as a flexible language capable of conveying complex ideas with clarity and emotional impact. No prior drawing experience required!
What can ordinary people do when democratic norms feel fragile, federal power expands, and communities most affected by conflict and climate disasters struggle to be heard? This presentation explores a continuum of nonviolent strategies available to communities seeking to protect their families and their voices—from calm, local acts of solidarity to election-related engagement, state-level legislative initiatives, and coordinated multi-state efforts.
Our seasonal “Words in the Woods” program allows Vermonters and visitors to enjoy our state’s natural beauty while listening to and reading literature in the outdoors.
Humanities Camps are filled with reading and writing projects, field trips, and outdoor activities.
We won a 2020 Schwartz Prize for best public humanities programming in the U.S. for Vermont Reads 2019: “March: Book One.”
We supported the Chandler Center for the Arts’ Global Connections Youth Outreach program, which highlights artists from around the world.
Our free public events help bring the power of the humanities to communities across Vermont.
